A method for installing an elevator system in an elevator shaft of a building in its construction phase uses a machine platform displaceable in the shaft along car guide rails and having a drive machine for moving a suspended elevator car to adapt a usable lifting height of the elevator car to an increasing height of the building by lifting the machine platform to a higher level. The method includes lowering a pre-assembled elevator unit into the shaft by a lifting device, using guide devices that are either mounted on the elevator unit and cooperate with stationarily fixed alignment elements in the shaft, or are fixed in the shaft and cooperate with alignment elements on the elevator unit, to align the unit in a position suitable for fitting guide shoes on the elevator unit and the car guide rails into one another.

A method for installing an elevator system in an elevator shaft of a building in its construction phase uses a machine platform displaceable in the shaft along car guide rails and having a drive machine for moving a suspended elevator car to adapt a usable lifting height of the elevator car to an increasing height of the building by lifting the machine platform to a higher level. The method includes lowering a pre-assembled elevator unit into the shaft by a lifting device, using guide devices that are either mounted on the elevator unit and cooperate with stationarily fixed alignment elements in the shaft, or are fixed in the shaft and cooperate with alignment elements on the elevator unit, to align the unit in a position suitable for fitting guide shoes on the elevator unit and the car guide rails into one another.

A guide shoe for an elevator is formed entirely of plastic materials and includes a guide shoe housing, a damping element and a guide element that are firmly bonded to one another and form a one-piece composite structure. The composite structure is produced by a three-component injection molding process.

An elevator system (2) comprising a hoistway (4), an elevator car (6) and a counterweight (8) arranged to move within the hoistway (4). The system (2) further includes a first counterweight guide rail and a second counterweight guide rail arranged to guide the counterweight within the hoistway (4) and a guide rail bracket (32) which connects the first and second counterweight guide rails together. An elevator machine (10) is arranged to drive a tension member (14), which couples the elevator car (6) and counterweight together (8), to move the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4). The system (2) further includes a friction reducing element (36) arranged on the guide rail bracket (32) such that if the tension member (14) moves towards the guide rail bracket (32) during operation of the elevator system (2), the tension member (14) contacts the friction reducing element (36).

A guidance mechanism for an elevator car is constructed and arranged to move along a lane defined at least in-part between two opposing first and second lane structures of a stationary structure. The guidance mechanism includes a first support structure supported by the first lane structure. The first support structure includes a first retainer face disposed between the elevator car and the first lane structure that substantially faces the first lane structure, and is spaced from the first lane structure. A first retention device of the mechanism is disposed, at least in part, between the first retainer face and the first lane structure. The first retention device is supported by the elevator car and is constructed and arranged to contact the first retainer face for limiting lateral movement of the elevator car away from the first lane structure and toward the second lane structure.

A stabilization apparatus of an elevator car includes: a base fixedly mounted with respect to the elevator car; an upper swing arm and a lower swing arm disposed in parallel basically, first ends thereof being pivotably fixed to the base; a guide rail friction member capable of generating, with the guide rail, a frictional force for keeping static with respect to the guide rail, and having a first connecting shaft and a second connecting shaft for being connected to the upper swing arm and the lower swing arm respectively; and a damper having at least one end connected to the upper swing arm or the lower swing arm, wherein the damper is configured to at least partially prevent the upper swing arm and the lower swing arm from relatively swinging, with the first connecting shaft and/or the second connecting shaft as a swinging pivot.

A sliding guide shoe for guiding a counterweight includes a single-piece guide element made of a plastic material. The guide element has an engagement element that extends in the longitudinal direction and can be brought into interlocking engagement in a cutout formed in a yoke of a counterweight frame. The guide element further includes a collar engaging around the cutout and forming a stop for positionally securing the guide element, the collar adjoining the engagement element.

A suspension device has at least one brake for braking an elevator car relative to a stationary component of an elevator system, a brake holding assembly holding the brake on the elevator car, and a support means holding assembly holding a support means on the elevator car. The support means connects the elevator car to a counterweight of the elevator system. The brake holding assembly holds the brake against the elevator car such that the brake moves relative to the elevator car in a force direction produced by the brake. The support means holding assembly holds the support means against the elevator car such that the support means moves relative to the elevator car substantially in a force direction produced by the support means. A load measuring device measures an exerted force produced by relative movement of the support means and/or the brake.

A levitating guide shoe arrangement and a method for guiding an elevator car along a stator beam of an electric linear motor during an emergency condition are presented. A levitating guide shoe arrangement for guiding an elevator car along a stator beam of an electric linear motor during an emergency condition includes a levitating guide shoe and a guide surface. The guide surface is included in the stator beam. The levitating guide shoe is configured for arranging in an operating position with respect to the guide surface and includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field that extends to the guide surface. The arrangement is configured to establish an air gap between the levitating guide shoe and the guide surface by the magnetic field.

A translation and/or transportation system, such as an elevator, is described comprising a movable structure for transportation, e.g. a passenger cabin or a load-carrying platform, a guide and a skid integral with the movable structure and slidingly coupled to the guide along a sliding axis.

The skid is configured to stably and slidingly couple the movable structure to the guide, and comprises a centering member in contact with the guide.

To attenuate the sliding friction, the skid comprises meansor a devicefor generating without contact with the guide a force counteracting an external load impressed on the centering member, the load-counteracting force being repulsive or attractive on the guide, and directed in the opposite direction to the force impressed by the external load on the centering member.